Method of and apparatus for making strip shingles



1932- F. c. OVERBURY v 1,872,603

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING STRIP SHINGLES Original Filed Aug- 9,1926 urant.

Patented Aug. 16,, 3132 rannnmcx c. OVERBURY,

OF HILLSDALE, NEW JERSEY, MENTS, TO THE PATENT AND LICENSINGCORPORATION,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING STRIP SHTNGLESApplication filed August 9,

This invention relates to a method of making individual roofingelements, more particularly elements which are formed in the shape ofwhat is commonly known as strip shingles, these elements being usuallyelongated and having slots cut into the elements from the butt edges toform individual shingle-simulating tabs. It is an object of theinvention to provide an effective and economical method for producingsuch strip shingles in such a way that the finished product will beprotected on its exposed edges, as well as its exposed surfaces, by acontinuous envelope of waterproof coating material covered by a maskinglayer of grit or its equivalent.

The type of roofing referred to is usually made of felted fibrous sheetmaterial such as may be produced on a paper-making machine, the sheetbeing of a porous and bibulous nature so as to be capable of ab sorbinga considerable amount of fluid sat- Sheets of such fibrous roofing baseare impregnated with suitable waterproofing a material such for exampleas low meltingpoint asphalt which is readily reduced to a high state offluidity at temperatures low enough to avoid injury to the sheet whenimmersed therein. Heretofore after the sheet has been saturated, acoating of high melting-point or blown asphalt has customarily beenapplied to oneor both faces thereof to furnish a more durablewaterproofing constituent to the material which is less liable to flowor run by the heat of the sun when laid on a roof. In order to protectthis outside coating of blown asphalt, it is desirable to cover it witha masking layer of some material which can'protect it from the directaction of the weather. It

has been found convenient to utilize for this purpose comminuted matter,preferably crushed slate, brick, tile, or other kind of mineralgranules. These materials are easily applied to the hot sticky asphaltand are rolled or otherwise pressed into intimate contact with theasphalt coating whereby a sufficient amount of the granular materialadheres firmly to theface of the asphalt and 'mnVideS not onlyprotection therefor, but a 1926, Serial No. 128,074. Renewed April 21,1932.

means of producing various artistic effects in the appearance of thefinished roofing element. The sheet at this stage, after being cooled,is usually cut into elements of the desired shape and size, theseelements thereupon being packaged for shipment. It has been found,however, that the cut edges produced in the course of cutting theelements from the sheet provide undesirable channels for the access ofatmospheric moisture to the fibrous sheet material which forms the baseof the roofing elements. Moisture enters through the cut exposed ends ofthe fibers which appear at the butt edges of the elements and in dryweather such moisture evaporates out together with any residual volatileconstituents which may have been in the saturant with which the fibroussheet was impregnated. These efiects of the weather coupled with otherdeteriorating ef- Q fects, such'as frost, cause the saturated felt tosponge the corners and the edges of the tabs to warp and curl. Thispermits rain to blow under the elements on the roof and thus decreasesthe water-tightness of the roof as a whole. themselves is also greatlyshortened by these effects of the weather. Consequently, it is desirableto prevent the access of moisture to the fibrous interior of theelements by sealing the cut edges with a coating of asphalt which ispreferably protected by a. layer of grit. It is an object of thisinvention to provide amethod for making slotted strip shingles which arenot only coated on their exposed side faces, but are also coated andgrit-surfaced on the edges which are exposed to the weather.

The steps by which I my novel process may clearly by reference whichpropose to carry out be understood more to the drawing, of

The life of the elements Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan of a sheetFigure 3 shows another arrangement of slots and slits whereby the latterpass through an end of each slot instead of the middle as in Figures 1and 2.

Figures 4 and 5 together show a diagrammatic elevation of apparatuswhich can be used to carry out the steps of my process.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a doctor for spreading coatingmaterial on the sheet.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 10 indicates a roll of roofing feltof any suitable type. The sheet of felt is led off from this roll andpasses through a container 13 of any desired construction in which it isthoroughly impregnated with liquid asphalt or other waterproofingsaturant. As it leaves the container, it may be passed through a air ofpress rolls 14 to remove excess asphalt om the surface of the sheet. Thesaturant may be partially cooled and dried into the sheet by passing thelatter over a series of loopers 15. As the sheet leaves the loopers 15,it is slotted as by slotting rolls 11 which are constructed to cutlongitudinal series of transverse slots 12, the slots being equal inlength to the height of the tabs to be formed thereby (as in Figure 3)or of double length (as in Figures 1 and 2). The slotting rolls 11 arefollowed by slitting rolls 16 which are adapted to cut the lines 17 and18, the former passin through the slots either in the middle as inigures 1 and 2, or adjacent to an end as in Figure 3. If desired, theslotting and slitting may be done simultaneously by a single pair ofrolls, the cutting edges of the rolls 11 and 16 being mounted togetheron a simple roll.

I prefer to cut the slots in the sheet after the saturating step wherethe saturant is liquefied by heat. When the sheet passes through asaturating bath of molten asphalt, such as is frequently used for thepurpose, the ermeation of the sheet by the hot asphalt ten s tolubricate the fibers, greatly reducing the tensile strength of thesheet. Hence, if the sheet is slotted before saturation, it is liable tobe additionally weakened to such a degree as to render the sheet liableto fre quent breaks in the saturating bath,hence it is advantageous todefer the slotting until after the saturating step. On the other hand,it is advisable to cut the slots before the sheet is coated and slatedsince the coating is thus made to cover the cut edges and the slottingknives are not subjected to severe treatment incident to cutting througha layer of grit particles. I therefore slot and slit the sheet after thesaturation thereof but before the coating has been applied. Theseslitters cut the sheet into continous strips, each oneof which'has asuccession of shingle-simulating tabs along one edge. Since the sheet isstill somewhat warm at this stage, it is usually relatively soft andlimp so that care must be taken to prevent the tabs from may fallthrough getting twisted, bent under, or otherwise jammed, or torn loose.In order to support these strips and tabs during the operations ofcoating and slating I provide an endless traveling belt 19, preferablyof open mesh woven wire, which may be led around a roll 20 positionedadjacent to the cutting rolls 16 and another roll 21 suitably spacedtherefrom, either or both of which rolls may be driven. After emergingfrom the slitting roll 16, the sheet is carried by the belt 19 beneath asuitable supply of molten coating asphalt. This may be supplied by anozzle or series of nozzles 22 which may be arranged to pour a suitableamount of coating asphalt directly upon the surface of the sheet, theasphalt falling on the slots being allowed to drop through the wire beltinto a suitable receptacle 23 placed below. In order to distribute thecoating of asphalt evenly over the surface of the sheet, I may supply adoctor 24 which may comprise a steam-heated pipe or scraper positionedabove the sheet and in close proximity thereto. The doctor is preferablygiven a zigzag shape as indicated in Figure 2 in order to ride over thetabs of each strip on an angle and thus to avoid catching a side edge ofa tab and tearing the sheet. Immediately following the doctor 24, Iprovide a slate hopper 26 from which a sheet of comminuted grit isdropped on the hot sticky asphalt coating, a receptacle 27 beingprovided to recover excess grit which the open slots in the sheet. Inorder to keep the belt 19 free from accumulations of asphalt andgrit, Iprovide a brush 25 or equivalent device at any c0nvenient point to coatthe belt 19 with a nonadhesive liquid such as glycerin, soap water,molten paraffin or the like. When the machine is running forconsiderable periods, the belt is heated by contact with the warm sheetto such a temperature that the asphalt will not build up thereon,regardless of whether or not the non-sticking coating is applied. Thesheet is then passed around a suitable roll 28, a roll 29 beingpositioned therebeneath to cooperate therewith in pressing the slateinto firm engagement with the asphalt coating. As the sheet is carriedabout the roll 28, it leaves the belt 19. At this point, a coating roll30 may be provided to contact the reverse side of the sheet and todeposit a coating of molten asphalt thereon, the roll 30 being suppliedwith asphalt from a container 31 as by a feed roll 32. Above this rollmay be positioned a talc or mica box 33 adapted to deposit talc, mica orany pulverulent material on the back face coating to provide thiscoating with a nonsticking surface, or if preferred a grit hopper may beused to surface the under face with grit. The sheet is thereupon passedover a series of rolls 34 which serve to cool the sheet and to embed thegranular material thereof and past a point thoroughly rolls the sheet isled to suitable cutting rolls 35 which sever the individual shinglestrips, the latter bein deposited on a suitable ta le 36 or carrier orconvenient packaging for shipment.

Having thus described "an embodiment of m invention, it should beevident to those skilled in the art that many changes and modificationsmay be made therein without de parting from its spirit or scope asdefined by the a pended claims.

I c aim:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for cutting aseries of transverse slots in a longitudinally movin sheet of roofingfelt, means 'for longitu inally slitting said sheet through said slotswhereby a pair of strips are formed, each strip having a series ofnotches in an edge thereof forming rectangular tabs, means fordepositing liquid coating on said strips, and a diagonally disposeddoctor engaging each strip, the portion of said doctor engaging thenotched margin of the strip being eyond the portion engagingtheunnotched margin.

2. Steps in a process for making roofing elements which comprisesaturating a sheet of fibrous roofing felt with bituminous compound,slotting and slitting the sheet into substantially continuous St IIPS,each having a series of substantially rectangular tabs along one edgethereof, moving the strips past a point of application of 'waterproofing coating to-the tabs and exposed edges of application thereto ofgrit, said gritting point being spaced from said coating point, andsupporting the moving strips in substantially the same plane frombeneath on a continuous travelin reticulated surface during the passageof sai strips through the coating and grit-applying points.

3. Steps in the process for making roofing" elements, which comprisesaturating a sheet of roofing felt of indefinite len h with bituminouscompound, slotting an slitting the sheet into substantially continuousstrips each having a series of substantially rectan larshingle-simulating tabs along one edge thereof, moving said stripscontinuously past two successive spaced treating points, applyingwaterproofin coating to the tabs and exposed edges 0 the strips as theypass the first said treating point, applying comminuted surfacingmaterial to the coated portions as they pass the second said treatingpoint, and supporting from beneath the traveling strips from theirapproach to the first treating point to their departure from the secondtreating point.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

FREDERICK o. OVERBURY.

in the face thereof. From these

